A/N: I'm sorry that it's so bad.

"I can't meet your family today Derek."

"Why not?"

I turned to walk away ignoring his question. "Kamina!" He turned me back around forcefully fire in his eyes. "You can't just ignore me like that. Every time I ask you something you do this. Like you never plan on answering me. Well how am I supposed to get to know you if you won't tell me anything?"

"You're not." I tried to snatch away from him but he wasn't budging, "I'm forever to remain a mystery."

"Kamina seriously! Why can't you meet my family?"

"I can't meet your family when I don't have one of my own." I grunted finally able to free my arm.

It didn't make sense. I'm sure it didn't. Not to him, but it did to me. I had a family, in the textbook definition of it. I had a mom and a dad, some sisters, even a step dad but I couldn't compare the way we were and interacted to the way I thought a family should be, the way I saw just a portion of Derek's family act. They loved each other; that was obvious. But my family...sometimes I wasn't so sure we did.

I turned to leave again, not wanting to explain any part of my family to him, but he pulled me back.

Speaking through clenched teeth, he said, "You run from your problems a lot. You better be lucky we're best friends or that would really start to piss me off."

"Looks like you're already pissed off. I wouldn't want to make it any worse for you." I slipped my arm away from him again, wasting no time in sprinting off in the opposite direction while he screamed for me to come back.

Luckily, the guilt I felt from blowing off Derek didn't come until later when I was at home alone and could get up freely and go for a run. I took my usual route, straight through the trees to the heart of the forest and reveled in this time even with the thoughts of the apology I would give him fresh in my mind.

I could feel the wind rushing past my ear drums, smell the earthly soil that crushed beneath my feet, hear the sound of footsteps gaining on me.

My heart sped up.

"Hi Derek." I breathed out once his footsteps sounded right beside me matching my tempo.

He didn't respond and I didn't look at him, afraid I would see an angry, unforgiving expression on his face.

"I'm sorry about-"

"Doesn't matter." He responded waving me off. "Friends fight. It's fine."

I breathed a sigh of relief as we ran in companionable silence until he added, "You're still meeting the rest of my family today. No excuses."

"I can't." I huffed out in frustration, grinding my footsteps to a halt. He still didn't understand.

He grinned at my angry figure in amusement. "I said no excuses." He sang.

"Derek..." I warned.

"What? I want my best friend to meet my family. What's so wrong with that?"

"You don't understand," I said pushing a hand through my hair.

He took ahold of my hands, looking into my eyes seriously and sincerely. "I understand that you're my best friend. I understand that you have some issues with your family. Who doesn't? But I also understand that I don't care about any of that. I don't care what's happening with your family because it doesn't have anything to do with you being my best friend and I'd like my best friend to meet my family."

I stood silent soaking up both his smile and his persuasive words. And I think we both knew that he'd convinced me. "But...I can't meet them looking like this." I gestured to the scruffy t-shirt, muddy sneakers, and shorts ensemble, yet he only shrugged.

"I said no excuses." He repeated.

I tried to protest; but, he put his hand over my mouth. "No...excuses." He pronounced slowly. "You're going to meet my family and be happy about it."

He removed his hand slowly eyeing me as if I would open my mouth and refute him again. I didn't and his hand wrapped around my own, squeezing reassuringly.

"Derek," I breathed as we started moving, "I don't know about this…"

He stopped putting a hand on each of my shoulders. "They'll love you. You look beautiful and they'll love you." He assured looking straight in my eyes and that calmed any anxiety I could have felt.

"Okay." I said taking a deep breath for both our benefit. He smiled at me and I returned the favor before he led the way toward his house.

Everyone stopped upon our entrance and I rung my hands together nervously as Derek introduced me, "This is Kamina Allain. She's the one I told you all about."

They still stared; no one saying a word and so...I just...started talking.

"I'm so sorry! I told Derek that this was a bad idea. I was running and so I was sweaty. I swear I'm not always like this. I smell really good most of the time except when I'm working out but I always shower after and I have better clothes than this. I swear I'm not poor!" The last part blurted out of me without warning but now it was all out there and I hid my face in my hands in embarrassment. "Not that there's anything wrong with that but I'm not a charity case or anything..." Derek placed a supportive hand on my back, though he was stifling a laugh; I looked to him helplessly. "I think I'm just...gonna stop talking now."

"You're an omega." Someone announced from the back, and suddenly I understood what the looks were for. The speaker stepped out and I recognized the face immediately. Uncle Peter.

My face hardened. "Yes." My dad's pack had been my own but when I moved, all of that changed and I was alone. Until I met Derek.

He continued as if it wasn't already obvious that the topic was one I'd rather not discuss. "That's not too safe for someone like you."

"What the hell does that mean?" I growled. I could take care of myself without anybody's help. Who was he to say otherwise?

And then someone stepped in, sensing the tension and saving me from any further embarrassment.

"Hello Kamina. It's nice to finally meet you." She stuck her hand out and I shook it immediately. It was like I couldn't say no. The woman exuded power and authority; and, I think I realized before my mind did exactly who she was. "I'm glad you finally accepted my dinner invitation."

All the anger left me at that moment when I realized the timeless brunette beauty in front of me was Talia Hale, alpha and mother Talia Hale. My mouth fell open and closed at a loss of words and Derek helpfully threw an elbow in my side to wake me up again.

"Hi Ms. Hale." I croaked, then clearing my throat, my rambling started up again. "I'm sorry for not coming to dinner sooner but I was always nervous and afraid you wouldn't like me and I didn't want to impose and Derek had never invited me formally, so I didn't want to go over his head because that would have been...not like a best friend-"

"Not like a best friend indeed," she agreed, smiling softly. Looking to her son, she asked, "You never invited her?"

I was glad to have the attention off of me, and I watched Derek squirm with an amused smirk on my face.

"I think we're gonna go to my room." Derek announced saving himself. He took a hold of my hand and dashed me upstairs before I could say anything else. Not that I wanted to. I was done making a fool of myself for one day.

"That was a disaster." I told him covering my face in mortification once we were closed safely inside. "Now they think I'm weak and bitter and dumb and can't form proper sentences and-."

"It wasn't that bad." He comforted, "My uncle's just an asshole. My mom liked you at least."

I peeked from between my fingers to gauge if he was telling the truth. "Really?"

"Yeah. I think she was impressed you stood up to Peter." My head lifted in pride until he chuckled out, "Plus she was trying not to laugh at you. Now that was hard. You were pretty hilarious."

"Shut up." I grumbled punching his shoulder playfully. I flopped down on his bed, finally getting a chance to scan the room. "Your room's nice." It was surprisingly neat for a teenage boy. I cocked an eyebrow at him. "Did you clean before I came?"

"Thank you, and yes. Yes I did." He answered plopping down next to me to wait for dinner.

The dinner was unbelievably…nice. Talia made sure I was treated no less like family and with the absence of a certain bastard uncle, the group warmed up to me nicely.

I helped set the table, got one of the little ones to eat her vegetables, laughed at all the jokes I knew and even those they'd had to explain, and helped clean when all the food was gone and bellies were full.

Derek walked me home, per his mother's request, and I was smiling. Truly smiling at being able to take part of that experience. To be a part of a family again.

"See? It wasn't that bad." He gloated, bumping my shoulder with his.

"No." I happily agreed. "No it wasn't. I'm glad I went."

"You mean you're glad I dragged you there." He snarked.

"Yeah yeah." I waved off chuckling. "Same thing."

"My mom expects you to come around more often now, you know that right? You won't be able to dodge her like you do me. She's an Alpha."

"I don't dodge-"

He shot me a look and I had to concede. "Fine. I'll come over again. You better be lucky I'm your best friend. I don't have dinner at just anybody's house." He laughed at my playfulness and I smiled back at him. "I'll see you later Derek."

He pulled me back just before I could step through my door and I looked up to him questioningly. "I'm here." He said. "If you need anything. Friends fight but they share too. You can talk to me about your family. About anything. Don't stay a mystery. Please." He kissed my cheek softly which only stressed the sincerity of his words. "I'll see you later Kammy." And then he turned and walked back to his house in the woods.